The Dark Prince
by Estelle Stafford
Summary: M.K. Is attending college two hours away but months into her first year, the Flower QUeen asks for her help, she finds out that there is something not only threatening the Jinn and the boggans but also other forest worlds, but the threat is somewhere in the Stompers world so Nod will get to see the view from above.
1. Chapter 1

Epic

**Summary: **

M.K. Is attending college two hours away but the Flower Queen is weak and she finds out that there is something not only threatening the Jinn and the boggans but also other forest worlds, but the threat is somewhere in the Stompers world so Nod will get to see the view from above.

**The dark Prince **

Dating was never easy, but dating through a view screen was much harder. She saw Nod almost everyday in the beginning, sometimes she saw Mod, Grub, or Ronin, on a occasion she spoke with the Flower Queen who seemed to admire her. It was hard to believe the little easily excitable flower girl was Queen, and yet the girl was also beyond her years. She often ask M.K. And her father for help for things only a stomper could do. Those were the times she saw Nod in person, but she barely understood him, even with him right there in the palm of her hand.

It was hard for her, and she wondered if it been hard for him too. He never said anything about it, her being a stomper, him being a small creature of the forest.

She often teased him about being a fairy with no wings, or a pixie. He did not take too much offense to it, until he saw the pictures of the pretty boys and girls with wings. He was not a _pretty_ boy and he found it insulting to be compared to creatures who did nothing but cause mischief or sing and dance all day. She just laughed. They had a lot of good times even with the screen between.

But as summer turned into fall, then winter, she could not see Nod as much. She gone to school that was a hour away and then would have to do lots of homework. Much to her surprise she began to make friends, she been anti-social before, so used to taking care of things on her own but her adventures changed her. She trusted people more and felt more connected. So she was even more busy hanging out, and joining clubs. So their relationship started fading, and Mod-more than once-began to mope about not seeing his 'fine thing'. She did miss them, but the reality was: there really was no life with them.

She belonged here.

In the world of the stompers and though she was grateful for her adventure, she come to a realization there was no point in holding on. It was the hardest thing she ever had to do when college came around. She knew she would not be able to see them. Her father offered to record videos and send them to her, but it would not be the same. Nothing was the same, she always would have Nod settling with in her memory in a special place. She would always love him, but it was time for her to move on with her life.

She smiled sadly as Nod appeared on the screen, "Hey M.K. haven't seen you in awhile. I wanted tell you I been promoted. I'll be getting my own recruits soon." He grinned at her overly proud.

"That's...great," She tried to hide the lingering hurt and guilt in her voice.

It seemed to work at the moment, "It is, I'll have my own idiots to boss around." He pushed a strand of brown hair back. She always liked that he kept it a little wild, like his personality.

"Instead of being the idiot yourself." She teased.

"Heeey, come on you got to admit, I was suave even then."

"Not really," She laughed lightly remembering how cocky he been.

"And yet, you fell for my charms," Her face fell a bit but she was saved by Mod and Grub who threw themselves at the camera, smashing into it, leaving slime on it.

"Ahhh, Grub and Mod, how times do I got to tell you not to get so close to the circle thing." Nod yelled.

Mod just shook his body, "I'm trying to be close to my fine thing. Did you miss me, girl?"

She laughed, "You know Nod it's a camera."

"Yeah I knew that," He stepped back somewhat sheepish and leaned against the tree, "trying to keep it simple for these guys."

"Are you calling me stupid?" Mod asked getting right in Nod's face.

"Yuck," Nod pushed him away.

"You know you shouldn't talk to a fellow leaf-man like that," Grub held his chest out proudly.

M.K. was used to holding things in, when her mom and dad separated, when her mom died, and when things with her dad were not working too well. She was a strong girl she always had to be. She had mostly taken care of herself, even after she worked things out with her dad. She had often been the one to tidy the house, cook, clean, though her father tried he really was not good at those things. He still got distracted studying things from the leaf-men. He helped them often by suggesting improvements to their armor and he kept the area safe from creatures and people that the leaf-men could not handle. So he was still very busy, though they managed to have a really good relationship. So M.K. kept things locked in and yet now she could feel the first teardrop fall.

Her father had come up behind her, "Is everything ok M.K.?" He wondered. He knew what she was planning to do and he understood. He had always figure it would come to that, he even spoke with her about the challenges of her relationship.

"M.K?" Nod looked at her confused. He had no idea what he could have said to upset her.

"What did you do to my woman?" Mod slammed into the tall leaf-man. He looked right into the camera, "You want me to take flat-face out, honey?"

M.K. wiped a tear from her face, "It's not him Mod." Her voice was so serious and sad that Mod stopped pushing on the young man. "It's me," She took a deep breathe. _No need to beat around the bush M.K. You can do this_ she told herself, "I came to say goodbye."

"Goodbye but you just got here," Nod's brows just got more narrow with his deepening confusion.

She shook her head, "I mean goodbye forever, I mean I'm breaking up with you."

"What?!" both Mod and Nod exclaimed.

"What did I do honey-cakes?" Mod looked so sad that she knew he would cry if he could. Grub looked mournfully too.

"Don't you like us anymore?" Grub asked. Nod was uncharacteristically quiet the whole time.

"It's not that, I'm going to college guys and it is far away."

"But you could still visit," the snail suggested.

"Not very often, I won't even see dad for months I'm going away, several sta..." She thought of a way to explain the distant, "Millions of trees away."

"Why?" Mod asked as his eyes got big with sorrow.

"Well because I'm a stomper and need to move on with my life. Of course I'll still come and say hi when I can, but..." she looked at Nod who was clenching his jaw. "A relationship isn't going to work between us, there are things I'm going to want, a family, a house," She kept sex in the back of her mind but it was there, and her face flushed a little.

"If you want a family we can adopt Grub here." Mod suggested bumping into his friend, "He would make a great son and he looks like me."

"Yeah," Grub agreed, "And don't forget several leaves, one tree."

"I know, that's why will always be connected wherever I go," she brushed a strand of red hair out of her face. "I just can't be with you in the way you want me to anymore." Mod held his head down, Grub hid in his shell. "Guys..."

"Fine," finally Nod spoke with a slight sneer as waved her off, rejecting her, "You want to go be with your precious stompers! Go! I have plenty of pretty ladies who want to be with me!"

M.K. felt hurt at his remark and her father spoke, "Don't talk to my daughter that way, is that the armor I made..." He stared at the acorn plated armor, adjusting his glasses.

"Yes," Nod replied, "And your daughter thinks she is better us. She's not. We are better than her."

"Don't talk to my future wife like that," Mod said pushing into him.

"Yeah, don't talk about my mom like that!" Grub yelled.

"She's not your mom," he stared at her, "She's not one of us and I guess she is right it won't work. We are too different."

"Nod I..."

"Go away, I don't need you. I never did! I don't need anyone." He turned his back toward her.

"Fine!" She replied and she yanked the headset off and dashed to her room throwing herself on the bed.

She never talked to Nod again after that, not for lack of trying but he refused. That's when she realized just how in love she had been in. There was no use dwelling on it, so she moved on.

Nod had buried himself in training over the next few months. Ronin had tried to talk to him several times but he refused, "Quit being so stubborn!" He yelled at him one day, "I got bigger things to worry about than your moping!"

"I'm not moping and what things? We can handle the boggans just fine, ever since..." He did not mention Queen Tara's name he was sure it was worse than the pain he was feeling over M.K. and she was still alive. This pain, this emptiness it was absolutely horrible and he had no idea how to handle it, because this he had never experienced before.

"First loves are always the hardest," Ronin's second in command leaned over his shoulder and soon got a disapproving stare from Ronin. "Not that I...we do have bigger issues" his boss kept staring, "and as usual I have no real say in this matter...I'll be over here," He stepped back.

The young man just chuckled a bit, despite his bitterness, "It's funny how you can take a man down with a stare, even one as strong as Carver."

"And yet..." Ronin half smiled, "It doesn't work on you, maybe boys are just immune to it."

"Hey I'm not a boy," He whined.

"Maybe not, but you are still quiet immature, though I do get why you are acting like this. Carver is right, first loves are hard."

"I don't want to talk about it," He crossed his arms and leaned on the big tree that they were working out of, "What was that thing about bigger issues again?"

"Well, something strange has been going on in the forest. It has been small, but it worries me."

"Everything worries you. Everything is fine."

"There has been dead boggans here and there."

"So," Nod raised a brow, "Isn't that a good thing?"

"Normally, but there have been no leaf-men near the area and there just doesn't seem to be any weapons and..." Ronin shook his head, "Maybe you are right."

"Okay, now I definitely need to know, you never agree with me. What's wrong?"

The leader of the leaf-men put his hand on Nod's shoulder, "This is one thing I have to admit I don't understand even the queen is unable to figure it out. The boggans look as if they had been burn to death from the inside."

"What! that's impossible."

"And some of them looked like they drowned when there was no water. These deaths are strange."

"So let's go investigate." Nod was all ready to jump on his bird and go.

"No, there been no reports lately," He shook his head, "and this is not a job for you, right now you got a group of men and a woman to train." Nod glanced over at his supposed men, disappointingly, one was overly skinny, another looked like a peach, and the only one that looked like he could handle himself was his rival growing up and then there was the young girl with round blonde curls. She was pretty, but Nod was not sure if she was leaf-woman materiel.

"Shouldn't Alana train the girl, she is really good with...uh girls."

"Oh?" His superior raised a brow, "are you saying that Alana should train girls just because she is a woman. I like to see you say that to her face." He chuckled. Nod would deny it, if ever it was pointed out but that thought made him nervous, Alana was even worse than...he shook his head...She was one of the few female soldiers and she trained many of the men because she was tough. She even made some of them cry.

"Not a chance in the dark." Nod replied, "She is way scarier then you."

"I know," He laughed some more, then he got serious, "You need to do a good job on this, if you ever want to get my job someday."

"Yeah right, who would want your job?" Ronin stared at him, "but you know me, I got to be the best at everything and I love a challenge." The man smiled at him.

"Alright get started."

"Yeah, yeah," Nod began to disappear.

"Oh and about M.K. you should not give up so easily." He yelled.

"That jerk always has to get the last word in," He muttered but he was sincerely surprised. He had figured he would tell him to move on and all that, maybe it was because he had love Tara. He probably did not want Nod to end up with the broke heart that he was carrying. Nod half smiled, he hoped one day Ronin could move on, Tara would not have mind, she just wanted to see him smile.

He felt a sense of dread as he looked over his recruits. The tall skinny one was picking his nose, "stop that cadet!" He ordered.

Darvas rolled his eyes at him. Nod was even more annoyed than ever before, "You got a problem with my command." He stared right into the blue eyes of the raven haired man. Some people were unsettled by the guys appearance. The guy was so cold and quiet, he looked different then most of them with his extremely pale skin. He was a boggan by no means but he was different, but this never bothered the new commanding officer. He even tried to be friends with the guy once, but the thing was...the guy was a dick and after discovering that, they pretty much competed in everything with each other.

"Yeah, the fact that you are command. We all know it is just because of your connections."

"Hey man you don't speak for all of us," The round man spoke and Nod had been surprised by the confidence he saw in his eyes. Maybe he had misjudged him.

"Hmm...whatever," Darvas growled.

"If you have such a problem, request another leader."

"I have," He growled bitterly as he stared down his superior officer.

Nod paused for a second before he burst out laughing, "You must have pissed off Ronin."

"And guess who he picked to handle me, maybe you pissed him off worse."

"Oh whatever, it doesn't matter, let's begin your training, we start by...well you guys can run seven laps up and down the tree."

"Oh," The round man whined.

"I bet this is your fault," The blond girl growled at Darvas and Nod had to admit he liked her fire. "You shouldn't disrespect our commanding officer like that, we all pay."

"She's right, several leaves," He stared right into the blue eyes, "one tree, one falls you all will fall." The man just glared at him. The blond girl was the first one to start her lap.

"Come on you guys aren't going to let a girl beat you." Nod yelled at them.

Darvas smirked, "I was just trying to be a gentlemen." Nod scoffed at the remark as he watched the guy leap up onto a leaf.

"Okay," The heavier man leaped barely making it.

The skinny guy just inquired, "Aren't you going? Shouldn't you show it how it is done."

"I'll be watching you guys by bird, consider this an evaluation." The dirty blonde man frowned at him but did what he was told.

He watched them leap into the air, Darvas unsurprising was the fastest of all, and this seemed way to easy for him. Nod wondered why he was just now joining the leaf-men and not before. Of course he heard rumors he had no choice or he was going to end up in the hallows of the tree, jail. He did it for the money, or the glory. He was too bored, he was secretly a spy for the boggans. Nod knew none of it was true and he should not care but he could not help his curiosity.

He watched the young woman linger behind. She was really good and it seemed she had no problem keeping up with the men. Nod thought maybe she would be the easiest one to train, but he figure he better not speak so soon, so to speak, since he was just thinking.

He saw the thin guy stepping from leaf to leaf with his long legs at a leisurely pace. He came down to the man, "I said run not walk, how am I supposed to access your skills."

The man looked at him with a dumbfounded look but began to speed up. Nod then noted the red headed man was trying his best but was lugging behind. Maybe there was hope for him though, if he lost same weight, he certainly had the determination.

Nod looked over his recruits, there was a brief gleaming of hope for them, but as he watched the dirty blond almost fall off, and knock the rounded one down he realized maybe not. Then of course, Darvas kept opening his big mouth and the young woman seemed to be wearing down at the third lap.

Maybe not...

He shook his head. Why did Ronin have to give him the worse recruits ever? Maybe Darvas was right maybe this was punishment, well at least all of this managed to keep his mind off of...her.

**Author's Commentary: **Oh yes, the others have names, but Nod doesn't know them yet. You know he is more of an action man than social, well tell me if I should continue or not?


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note:** So I've been dragging my feet, I been more focus on getting hired on as a Sub. Teacher, crafts and reading, so sorry. Anyway I'll probably do another grammar check again when I wake up, but I just wanted to get this up here. It has actually been mostly completed, I would absolutely love somebody to **BETA/Edit** for me, it will make my process go faster knowing somebody will back me up.

* * *

Chapter Two:

Months later, half way in her second semester M.K. was having the time of her life. Her heartbreak seemed to fade away. She sometimes thought of Nod, it was kind of hard not to with all the leaves around, but it was slowly getting less painful. She stuck by her decision and day by day she felt like it was the right one.

She made a handful of friends who actually got her, because they had similar interests, Janice even had a weird dad like her, but her dad obsessed over ghosts. Her friend Daniel had a mother who was born and bred military while he was somehow an artsy free spirit. Tabitha and Jewel were sisters, they were close, their parents were normal which the rest of the group often teased them about. Then there was Chet, she had to admit he was cute and sweet, he also was raised by a dad who obsessed over his work.

She sat at the cafeteria after grabbing a tray and she grabbed a sprinkled donut with strawberry jelly filling and a slice of pizza covered in meat. Janice shook her head.

"I don't get why you eat like that?" The blond inquired, looking at her with bright green eyes.

"Like what," Her mouth was full and came out muffled. Her blonde friend laughed pushing a strand of hair away.

"Like that, pizza and a donut, don't you ever eat a balance meal, you know like real food."

"This is balanced."

"Yeah," Jewel agreed trying to grab a piece of the donut. "Its got the meat, the grain, the diary, and oh look," She stole a bit, "Mmmm, the fruit and the sugar."

"Oh she's got the sugar alright," Janice agreed as she rolled her eyes.

M. K. smacked the brunette's hand, "I thought she only stole from you." She stared at Tabitha, the bright orange-red headed girl just shrugged. "You are no help," She quickly tried to eat up her donut. "Get your own food Jewel."

"Why," the girl stole from a few grapes from Daniel's plate, who just raised a brow at the light brunette girl, "when this is free."

They chuckled a bit and some shook their heads, "Hey where's Chet?" Janice asked looking over to Daniel who was his roommate.

"Probably getting more practice in, you know music majors. So M. K. settle on a major yet?" He wondered.

"I'm thinking psychology."

"Oh good so after you analyze your dad you want to do mine." Janice smiled.

"No," She replied. "I'm not planning doing mine, either; I think I rather do a psycho killer than look into their brains." Both girls laughed.

Tabitha rolled her eyes," Don't be so dramatic."

"Then again I might just do botany,"

"Except you kill ever plant in your hands," Jewel pointed out. M. K. nodded in agreement. It was ironic that she been in the world of the leaf-men and was horrible with plants up here on the surface.

"Well I got class in ten," Daniel stated, "Coming Jewel? Your class is on the way, right?"

"Yeah, ugh I hate health requirements." She muttered.

"Yes, that's the cruelty of college they lure you into thinking you'll get to chose your own path only to find out half of it is already set." Janice remarked as she adjusted her glasses. They all laughed. Tabitha left a few minutes after they discussed the possible chemistry between Jewel and Daniel.

"So speaking of chemistry, what's up with you and Chet?" Janice asked eagerly.

"Uh nothing," M.K. shook her head.

"Oh come on don't give me that!" She moaned, "You two spend more time together than with us."

"Well that's because we are both in V.O.A (Volunteers of America) Club and it requires a lot of hours and because were..."

"Uh huh," Janice nodded.

"It's not going to matter what I say is it?" She half smiled.

Her friend shrugged, "Not really."

"I will say this, I'm still not completely over my last boyfriend, no matter how cute Chet is."

"So you admit he is cute and when are you going to talk about your ex huh."

"Don't you think you should worry about your own love life?" M.K. stood up, she was going to go to the Study hall at the library.

"Why? When yours is so more interesting than mine. I don't have one."

"And that's exactly why you should worry about yours." She teased.

* * *

As the year passed Nod discovered surprising things about his troops, Lud was actually very intelligent. He went slow because he was always calculating things, which seemed to come in handy. Ronald lost a lot of weight and was gaining stamina, he was starting to keep up with even Nod, he also had a special talent with the spear. Autumn was an amazing flier, the best he ever seen it was like she was part bird or something and she looked so beautiful with her flowing strands whipping around her. Nod try not to think about how he may or may not feel about her. The only issue was Darvas, the guy was still a pain in his side, challenging ever order he could get away with. Sure the guy was physically fit, a good flier, and seemed to get along with rest of the team but him...of course.

"I told you to build the tent!" Nod yelled at Darvas.

"Oh boy," Ronald whispered in Autumn's ear, "Here we go again," and she giggled, "Wonder when mom and dad will stop fighting."

"And I told you that I needed sturdy pieces of twigs, but no you had to pick the wettest and worse spot in the forest to make camp." He growled with his dark brows adding intensity to his blue eyes.

Lud leaned over as he put his thumb in the air, "I believe from the way the wind was carrying, there should be a spot, just thirty paces past the third tree."

"See," Nod said.

Darvas rolled his eyes, and trudged back up the trees to find where the dry spot was.

"What's it between you two?" Autumn asked. It was a question they all wanted the answer to.

"Nothing. I tried to be his friend but he was a jerk to me and ever since then he has to be better than me at everything. But I think I got the last laugh," Nod chuckled, "Since I'm the superior officer."

The blond just shook her head, "I think that maybe the reason you two don't get along is..."

"Because I'm the commander?" Nod asked teasingly.

"No because you two are so much alike." She replied. Ronald's eyes almost shot out of his head because of her bravery.

"What? Don't be ridiculous we are nothing..." Then he looked over to see the subject coming up empty-handed. "Where is the supplies for the tent?"

"Yeah it was a dry spot but there were still no good sticks." He replied.

"Oh," Lud frowned, "Forgot to count for flooding."

"It is fine," he replied, "Well just have to move ahead." Darvas crossed his arms believing he won.

"No, we will make this work," Nod stared right at him.

"We can't make this work."

"I'm the one giving the orders here." As the two of them fought neither of them noticed the blackening beneath their feet.

"Uh Guys," Autumn spoke staring at the grass that was crumbling she watched as the blackness made its way to her. Something was not right. She noticed instantly. "Run!" She yelled. The guys looked over to her. They could see the panic as water spewed from her lips. She suddenly felt like she was drowning which did not make sense.

"Get on the birds now!" Nod ordered to his men, he jumped on his, but that stubborn jerk ignored him as usual. Darvas leaped toward Autumn without a second thought. "Idiot we need to get above ground." He pulled on his bird and tried to fly swiftly back to them.

It was too late.

Darvas landed in the darkness, it was only for seconds and nothing happened. He was able to grab the blond in his arms and out run the blackness toward the bird.

"You moron," Nod yelled, "You risked the team." He gazed at the pretty blond, he had genuinely been scared. HE was not ready to lose his first solider and maybe if Darvas had not...but still. "You okay?"

"Thanks for asking," Darvas smirked. "I'm good."

"I meant Autumn!" He yelled back.

"I'm good," She smiled, "But does anyone know what that was. I never felt anything like it."

"I don't know, there has been mysterious boggans dying first it looked liked they just had the air sucked out of them, then there were burnt bodies and..." He kept a steady hand on his bird. He needed information, this was the first time he heard of anything happening to anybody who was part of the Leaf army.

"I never heard of that." Lud looked up, calculating possible clues in his head almost loosing grip of his bird.

They flew and their was a looming thought in Nod's mind. He knew that it had been a matter of seconds before Autumn was gasping for breath, so why was Darvas able to stand in it. Did he know? He did not seem concern for his life, but why? Sure he was not as cruel to the others, but he never really had strong interest in their concern. So why did he leap into the blackness without a second thought. There was something unsettling about it.

* * *

**Wisor forest: **

Melody flew through the woods with grace, missing each tree laughing as the blond hair whipped around her hair. Four other dragon fairies followed behind. "I'm the fast as usual," She laughed as she near the destination, passing blurs of brown and green. She was nearing the Grand Oak hall. She landed with a light thump.

"Oh Guardian of the hall," She called looking around for the fluffy gray squirrel, "Graycas?" She watched as a flash of Grey flew passed her. She let her green wings bring her back up, worried the creature might knock her over. She heard thuds and cries of her friend behind.

"She beat us again."

"Not fair."

"Hey what's going on," Airina a white haired fairy asked. She was always the last to land.

"Don't know Graycas is kind of going crazy." Melody explained.

"So you haven't touched the golden flower," Emily asked eager to finally win. Suddenly the squirrel stopped. He adjusted his glasses and gazed up at them.

"You can't touch the golden flower!" He ordered firmly.

"Why not?" Melody, the green dragon fairy wondered.

"It is no longer gold, it is black as night."

"But that means..." Airina could not believe it could be, but the squirrel nodded firmly almost loosing his glasses.

"Yes, yes, there is a dark prince but I'm afraid it is much worse dear, much worse."

"What could worse then Wisor having a dark prince?" Emily inquired.

"Not having one." He was off again searching through his various books. Melody loomed over toward the great golden doors that lead to the garden of purity.

"What does that mean?"

Airina was thoughtful both not noticing Melody's disappearance. "I think it means the dark prince isn't from here, but he is so powerful enough he effects us."

The green dragon fairy loomed over the blackness that had swallowed the precious rose. How did this happen? They had the best warriors, their Oak Guardians to keep this from happening. She reached out for the black petals, and as her fingers brushed against the blackness she felt as though something was holding her down and she then felt heat rising up. "Ahhh!"

* * *

**St. Louis, Missouri**

Tila look away, unable to watch anymore. There was nothing she could to do; she was thousands of miles of a way. She could not save the young fairy, "It is happening faster than I thought," She glanced over at a planet she had just gotten that morning. It was already turning black. She hated this helpless feeling that was spiraling deep inside of her, as she typed in another location, there was also planet life dying, unexplainable deaths there as well. She typed again, and again, some places had been barely touched, others however where on the verge of being completely destroyed. She took a deep breath and pulled off her glasses. Before she typed in the last place.

It was always the hardest, because it had been home.

She wiped away a tear as she glanced over at a photo by her desk. The image was retrieved from her computer, and took a bit of advance technology to zoom in so much and get the quality. It was a picture of boy she had once knew so well, who was now a man surrounded by the green forest and other men like him. She brushed her fingers against the picture, tracing the face on the photo. "You look so much your father, Nod." She stated, "But you have my eyes."

She set it down and went back to the monitors. She had to recall why she had to take this burden. Why she endure the pain of being away from her child? That this was what she was chosen for, this moment...

"_Tila," Tara hugged her, "You always have a beautiful smile. I hope Nod has it along with your eyes." The queen brought a flower from up from the ground forming another seat for her old friend. _

"_Well, his father's smile isn't too shabby either." She grinned. _

"_Oh well, I agree, I bet Ronin's would be as bright if he just use it." She pouted slightly, "He is so serious." _

_Tila gently grabbed her hand, her almond eyes look into Tara's, "He just wants to make sure you are okay. Hard to believe, but San can be the same way." _

"_Yes, life is so short you know," Tara brought out another flower, she took two petals full of water, "Thank you." She handed a drink to her friend. _

"_So what was it that you needed to ask of me." That was when the small talk stopped and Tila could see the sadness and worry in her school-girl friend's eyes. "What's wrong?" She gripped her hand tighter. _

"_I have a favor to ask." _

_Her red lips sighed in relief and she pushed a black strand away from her eyes, "Is that all?" _

"_It is not all, what I have to ask...I wish I never have to ask it, but I just received a message from Nim Galuu. He received a message from another forest." _

"_Go on." _

"_The Watcher has died." _

"_Oh no, that means they must need to select another one. Did you meet the others at the Garden of Future?" _

_Tara gave a half smile, "That is where your husband and Ronin took me. I didn't tell them why." _

"_No it is forbidden to do so, because The Watcher must remain in utter secrecy." _

"_I know."_

"Why are you telling me?" Tara stared at her for a moment, "No!"

"_Believe me if I had a say I would have chosen somebody else, but the flower of wisdom chose **you**."_

"_No," Tila yanked her hand away as she stood up. _

"_Tila, I didn't want to be queen but I was chosen. This may be hard but it isn't bad, you are so amazing that is why you were pick. You are the only one with strength to do this." _

"_My son is barely a year old." She said with a heartbreaking softness. _

"_I know, oh I know, but don't worry, he'll be okay. His father, I and Ronin are all here, okay...I'm make sure he is always taken care of." She encouraged. _

"_If I refuse what happens," She stared outside, thinking of her baby, of just this morning. She could not help but smile at the thought of it. It seemed so far away, she remembered San telling her how big he was getting, and how beautiful she look. How they were teasing Ronin about his feelings for Tara again. She laughed when she recalled the story about when San fell into the Mud Pit of Lascal, he smelled like a dead rat for weeks, but she ended up agreeing to a date afterwords. "He is going to grow up to be strong like his father. I wanted to see that."_

"_I know," Tara rarely was ever sad, she just learned to go with the flow a long time ago, but today it was going to a place of despair, "You know what happens, if someone is not there to watch, to warn us, if..." _

"_But nothing might not happen," She knew it was useless to argue. The decision was already made, she could not risk it, she could not risk the possibility of being to prevent something from killing the ones she loved, even though she did not want to leave. _

"_That usual is true but this time the Gardens went black." _

_There was no arguing with that, if the Gardens had turn dark even for a second it meant someday something terrible was going to happen and she would need to be there to warn everyone."How long am I going to be gone? Do you know." Tara shook her head, and hugged her friend. "I can't tell them, ever." _

"_I believe someday you will be able to, you will be able to explain to them why, but not today. You know you really are strong, I thought you were going to be our queen someday when were growing up. I was always fun, and I cared a lot but I didn't take anything serious. You care more than anyone than I know, you could always make anyone feel better, and you knew when to be focused and when to be silly. YOu were and are so balanced. I guess the reason you weren't chosen as queen was because you had a greater purpose." _

"_I don't want them to think I abandoned them. I need...I need to be dead." _

"_You can't be serious! Come on, I know the situation is a bit glum, but no need to make it more dramatic." _

"_Tara, I'm not joking, they need to believe I'm dead," She turned around to face her, "otherwise Nod will grow up feeling abandoned. This way he'll at least know half the truth. I didn't have a choice." _

"_I hate it when you look at me like that!" Tara grinned, "Nobody can argue with you, not even a queen." She gave a small smile back. _

The time was now. She wished Tara and her husband would still be around to see it. The day of warning had come. She opened up a drawer with a small tiny glistening white petal, from the garden itself. She took out a quill and wrote out: t_o all those of Gaea, a dark prince of the world has been born. The Protectors must gather, the chosen ones will appear. _

She then poured some of the magic that Tara had given her and soon it vanished, as if it was never there. She knew that there would be glowing scrolls all over calling out to be read. Soon the Protectors would gather here, she would have to guide them. Until then...

She just have to wait.


End file.
